UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
 

 
FORM 8-K
 


CURRENT REPORT

PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

Date of report (Date of earliest event reported):  August 27, 2016
 


RICEBRAN TECHNOLOGIES
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)
 


California
0-32565
87-0673375
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)
(Commission File Number)
(IRS Employer Identification No.)

6720 N. Scottsdale Road, Suite 390
Scottsdale, AZ
 
85253
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)
 
(Zip Code)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (602) 522-3000

(Former name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report.)
 


Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):

Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))
 


Item 5.02 Departure of Directors or Principal Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Principal Officers.

Termination of Mr. Short

On August 27, 2016, W. John Short’s employment as RiceBran Technologies’ Chief Executive Officer was terminated.  Mr. Short continues to serve on the Company’s Board of Directors.
 
Appointment of Dr. Smith

On August 27, 2016, Robert Smith, PhD, 55, was appointed interim Chief Executive Officer of the Company.  Dr. Smith has served as the Company’s Chief Operating Officer since June 2016.  Dr. Smith served as the Company’s senior vice president of operations and R&D from November 2014 to June 2016, as senior vice president of sales and business development from November 2013 to November 2014 and as senior vice president of business development from March 2012 to November 2013.  Dr. Smith brings over 20 years’ experience managing research and development and business development in the Ag-biotech industry.  He served as director of business development at HerbalScience Group from 2007 to 2010 and worked at Affynis LLC from 2010 to 2012 as a consultant.  Dr. Smith has also served as director of research and developments at Global Protein Products Inc. and PhycoGen Inc., and was project leader at Dekalb Genetics, a Monsanto Company.  Dr. Smith was a research assistant professor at the Ag-Biotech Center at Rutgers University and did his post-doctoral work in plant molecular biology at the University of Missouri-Columbia.  He holds a doctor of philosophy degree in molecular genetics and cell biology from the University of Chicago and a bachelor of arts degree in biology from the University of Chicago.
 

SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

 
RICEBRAN TECHNOLOGIES
     
Date: September 1, 2016
By:
/s/ J. Dale Belt
   
J. Dale Belt
   
Chief Financial Officer
   
(Duly Authorized Officer)